Apparatus for treating masonry and like surfaces



' Feb. 6, 1940. w. G. BROWN ET AL 2,188,938

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MASONRY AND LIKE SURFACES Filed Sept. 9, 1938INVENTOR )4 arra27 6, ,5)? 440 BY Warrcn D. .5 own A TORNE Y5.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR TREATING MASONRY AND1.11m SURFACES Warren G. Brown and Warren D. Brown, De-

troit, Mich., assignors of one-third to Francis C. Bagby, Birmingham,Mich.

Application September 9, 1938, Serial No. 229,170

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating, among other things,masonry surfaces, the principal object being the provision of apparatusof this type that is relatively simple in construction, and efficient inoperation.

While apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention isadaptable to a relatively wide variety of uses, it has been designed forand, therefore, is particularly adaptable for the treatment of masonrysurfaces broadly in accordance with the method disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,931,643, issued to Warren G. Brown, one ofthe joint inventors herein, on the 24th day of October, 1933, onCaulking compound and method of application. Accordingly, for ease andsimplicity of description the explanation of the present invention willbe limited to its application to the treatment of masonry surfaces, itsadaptability to other uses thus being made apparent.

Objects of the invention include the provision of apparatus including ahead adapted to operate upon a masonry surface and means for vibratingthe head; the provision of apparatus of the type described that ismanually operable and is portable; the provision of means for treatingmasonry and like surfaces including a head for contact with the surfaceto be treated, power means for vibrating the head, and means fordelivering material to the working face of the head at will duringoperation; the provision of apparatus as above described in which thematerial delivered to the working surface of the head is deliverableonly while the head is being driven; and the provisionof a head of novelconstruction for use in connection-with apparatus as above described.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the sameconsists in certain novel- 40 features of construction and combinationsof parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several difierent views,

Fig. l is a partially broken, partially sectioned side elevational viewof apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, partof the apparatus being shown in reduced size, illustrating the same inthe act of operating upon a fragment of a masonry surface, shown insection, to waterproof a joint thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken centrally throughthe axis of the operating head and associated parts of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1 as on the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partially broken, partially sectioned front elevational viewof the operating head, taken as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 1 and illustrating in detail the construction of the switch for comtrolling the operation of the electric motor;

Fig. 6 is a face elevational view of a modified form of headconstruction for the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. '7 and 8 are sectional .views of the head shown in Fig. 6 andtaken as on the lines 'I--| and 88, respectively, thereof.

In United States Patent No. 1,931,643 above referred to is disclosed amethod of treating masonry surfaces comprising applying a mixtureconsisting principally of Portland cement, finely divided iron, andwater to the surface to be treated, or to the joint between the bricksor blocks thereof, and working such mixture into the cracks and pores orother voids of the surface until it has thoroughly penetrated the same,and then after the mixture has taken an initial set, removing the excessof such material from such surface so as not to detract from thearchitectural appearance of the building. The particles of iron or otherexpanding material in that portion which has thus been worked into thecracks and pores of the surface oxidizes and thereupon swells so as tocompletely an all of the voids in the surface 85 being treated andthereby renders it waterproof.

The method disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,931,643 for workingsuch material into the surface being treated is to take a relativelystiff brush and. work the material into the surface therewith. In orderto obtain the desired penetration of the material into all of the voidsin the surface it is, of course, necessary to more or less scrub suchmaterial thoroughly into the surface and where this operation isconducted with a brush-by hand involves a considerable amount of more orless tedious work and this is particularly so where the mortar onlybetween the bricks or blocks of a masonry surface is being treated torender it waterproof.

The present invention provides an apparatus including a head adapted toact upon the mixture to work it into the surface and mechanism forcausing such head to be rapidly vibrated by power means. Accordingly, bythe employment of the present invention the manual eflort required bythe previous practice is eliminated to a material degree and instead itis only necessary for the workman to press'such head against the surfacebeing acted upon and to slowly move it over the surface, the vibratorymovement of the head during such movement serving to quickly andefliciently drive the mixture into any crack or other void in thesurface in an improved manner.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention means are providedfor discharging the mixture through the head onto the surface thereby toprovide a continuous supply of the material at that area of the surfacebeing acted upon. Preferably means are provided for controlling the flowof the mixture to the head at will but only during such times as thehead is actually being vibrated by its motor. By this means an adequatesupply of the material or mixture is assured at all times withoutproviding an excess of the same and no material is delivered to thesurface unless the head is vibrating and, therefore, in a condition towork it into the surface being treated.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing and particularly to Fig. 1 theapparatus there shown includes a main body portion which serves as theprincipal supporting structure and which is indicated generally at I0,it being shown as of cast construction and provided with a handle I2. Itmay be noted that the main portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig..1, minus the moclosed herein in place of the usual air supply controlfound in such spray guns.

The main body I0 is provided with a material inlet passage I4 whichopens into a cross-passage I6 which is reduced as at l8 to form ashoulder against which the point of an elongated needle' valve 20 isadapted to seat to close the passage I8 against the flow of materialfrom the passage IS. The needle valve 20 is provided with a packing 22where it emerges from the rear end of the passage I6 and it projectsrearwardly through the body I0 at the upper end of the handle I2 and isprovided with an adjustable stop or abutment 24 on its rearwardlyprojecting end. A trigger 26 is pivotally mounted on the body I0 at 28and is provided with a link 30 pivoted thereto at one end as at 32. Theopposite end of the link 30 slidably embraces the needle valve 20forwardly of the stop 24 so that the initial movement of the trigger 28will move the free end of the link 30 along the needle valve 20 withoutany movement of the needle valve until the link 30 abuts the stop 24,whereupon further movement of the trigger 26 in a counter-clockwisedirection of movement as viewed in Fig; 1 will then withdraw the needlevalve 20 and open the passage I8 to the flow of material thereto fromthe passages I4 and I6. The passage I4 is connected through a suitablefitting 34 to a flexible tube 36 the opposite end of which is connectedto a pipe 38 extending through the cover 40 of and to a point adjacentthe bottom of a container 42, shown in reduced size in Fig. and in whicha suitable amount of the material 44 with which it is desired to treatthe masonry surface, is contained.

A second pipe 48 extending through the cover 40 of the container 42 maybe connected through a check valve 48 with a flexible hose or tube 48leading to a suitable source of air under pressure so that the material44 within the container 42 may be placed under a suitable pressuretending to discharge it out through the pipe 88 and hose 86. The outletpassage l8 in the main body I0 communicates through a suitableconnection 02 and flexible tube 04 with the vibrating head which willlater be described in detail.

An electric motor is mounted upon a short pedestal 82 secured to theupper face of the main bodyi0 and is positioned with the axis of itsshaft 64 horizontal and projecting forwardly therefrom. Referring now toFig. 2 it will be noted that a housing 88 is threaded onto the forwardend of the casing of the motor 00 in concentric relation with respect tothe shaft 84 and that within the housing 80 the forward end of the shaft04 has fixed thereto an enlargement 08 provided with an opening I0 inits forward end face eccentric to the axis of the shaft 04. The reducedforward end of the housing 00 is formed to provide a partially sphericalseat I2 against which is received a ball I4 formed intermediate the endsof an elongated member I0 and the ball is maintained in engagement withthe seat 12 by means of a nut I8 threadably received upon the outer endof the housing 80 and provided with a central aperture 80 through whichthe forward end of the member I8 projects. The end of the member I8received within the housing 56 is provided with a central bore in whichis slidably received a pin 82 the inner end of which is formed toprovide a ball 84 received in the opening I0. As will be readilyunderstood, as the motor shaft 64 rotates when the motor 00 is energizedthe ball 84 on the end of the pin 82 will be caused to travel in acircular, path and will thus cause the opposite ends of the member 10 tolikewise travel rapidly in a circular path but will not cause rotationof the member I0. This movement of the ends of the member 10 is of amore or less vibratory nature.

In order to control the operation of the electric motor 80 switchmechanism shown in Fig. 1 and illustrated in detail in Fig. 5 isprovided and is mounted in a bore 80 extending horizontally through themain body I0. The forward end of the bore 80 is closed by a threadedplug 92 through which projects a binding post 84 suitable insulatedtherefrom and interiorly provided with a head 96 which is engaged by acompression spring 98. The compression spring 08 is received within theforward end of an enlarged central bore I00 of a cylindrical member orplug I 02 formed of electrical insulating material received within andextending the full length of the bore 80. The bore I00 extendsrearwardlyin the member I02 to a point slightly beyond its mid-position,at which point it slidably receives a plug member I04 of electricalconducting material having pin portions I06 projecting from oppositeends thereof, the forwardly projecting pin portion receiving the rearend of the springs 98 thereon which, accordingly, constantly urges theplug I04 in a rearward direction toward the end of the bore I00. Asmaller bore I08 concentric with the bore I00 extends from the rear endof the bore I00 centrally through the member I02 to the rear end of thesame. In the forward end of the bore I00 the rear pin member I08 of theplug I04 is received and in the rear portion of the bore I08 a metallicpin H0 is axially slidably received.

The pin IIO projects rearwardly beyond the insulating member I02 and itsrear end portion is threaded for reception of a pair 01' nuts II2between which is received on the pin I I0 a peripherally grooved blockII4 formed of electrical insulation material. A yoke I I6 is secured atits .center in the groove 01' the block I I4 and its opposite andforwardly extending arms are pivotally connected at I I8 to the upperextremities of the trigger 26 which project upwardly above the pivotpoint 28, as illustrated in Fig. 1. A compression spring I20 surroundsthe projecting end of the pin I I0 and is maintained under compressionbetween the end of the member I02 and the torward nut H2 and arelatively soft rubber sleeve I22 is provided in surrounding relationwith respect to the spring I20 so as to afford an electrical insulationfor the same against accidental contact with some external objectwithout interfering with axial movement of the pin III).

As best illustrated in Fig. 1, one lead I24 for the motor 60 extends toand is connected to the binding post 94 and the rear end of the pin IIOwhich also serves as a binding post is connected by a lead I26 whichextends down through the handle I2 and preferably through an armoredcable I28 secured to the lower end thereof to the positive side asuitable source of electrical energy. The other lead I30 for the motor60 may be led down through the handle I2 in a similar mannerindependently of the switch mechanism described, or it may be groundeddirectly to the main body portion I0 and thence through the armoredcable 28 to asuitable ground, or the main body portion I0 may beindependently grounded by means of a conductor such as I32 suitablysecured to the handle I2 as indicated, or to any other suitable locationon the main body portion I0.

The length of the pin III! and yoke II6 are so proportioned with respectto each other and with respect to the leverage arm of that portion ofthe trigger 26 projecting above its pivot point 28 that when the trigger26 is in released position the forward end of the pin I I0 is spacedfrom the rearwardly projecting pin portion I06 of the plug I04. When thetrigger 26 is pulled the yoke II6 connected thereto acting through theblock H4 and forward nut II2 moves the pin IIO forward into contact withthe rearwardly projecting pin portion I06 0! the plug I04, therebymaking electrical contact therewith and permitting a circuit to beestablished through the lead I26, pin IIO, block I04, spring 08, and end86 through the binding post 84 and thus cause the motor 60 to beenergized. The amount of movement of the trigger 26 required to closethe circuit through the switch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 ispreferably 'so proportioned that the circuit is closed before the yoke80 contacts the abutment 24 on the needle valve 20 and in such case uponcontinued movement of the trigger 26 after such contact has beenestablished through the switch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 and whichinvention any suitable type of operating head may be applied to theforward end of the member I6 operated by the motor 60, in accordancewith a further phase of the present invention a special design of suchhead is provided.

Referringparticularly now to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be noted that thehead shown in the present case is indicated generally at I40. The headI40 in the present case includes a supporting member comprising a bossportion I42 threadably received upon the outer end of the member 16 andsecured against relative movement thereon by means of a lock nut I44. Bythis means the head is caused to move or vibrate bodily upon operationof the motor 60. The boss portion I42 carries at its forward end atransversely extending flange I46 of rectangular contour. A relativelydeep rectangularly shaped metallic pan member I48 is arranged with itsbottom in contact with the forward face of the flange I46 and p isrigidly fixed thereto in any suitable manner such as Welding, brazing,soldering, or the like. The pan member I48 is lined with an imperforaterubber lining I50 which in turn is filled with a sponge rubber block orcore I52 which projects forwardly beyond the forward edges of the panI48 and lining I50 a material distance as indicated. The block or coreI52 is interiorly provided with a transverse passage I54 and a pluralityof minor passages I56 in open communication therewith and opening outonto the outer or operating face of the block or core I52. A metallictube I58 extends from the passage I54 through the block .I52, liningI50, member I48 and flange I46 and projects rearwardly beyond the rearface of the flange I46 at which point it is suitably connected to theflexible tube 54.

As will be readily understood, when the trigger 26 is operated towithdraw the needle valve 20 from seating relation with respect to theshoulder formed between the bores I6 and I8, the material 44 underpressure within the container 42 will then be fed through the passages I4, I6 and I8 and through the connection 52 into the flexible tube 54 andwill be delivered therefrominto the passage I54 in the head I40 and fromwhich passage it will flow out through the various minor passages I56 tothe forward or operative face of tinuous operation of the motor 60 andconsequent v vibratory movement of the head I40 and either effect acontinuous or intermittent discharge of the material 44 into and fromthe head I40.

Again referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that a portion of a typicalmasonry wall is illustrated as including a plurality of bricks I60 eachseparated from its neighbor by a conventional layer I62 0! mortar. Whereit is desired to waterproof the mortar joint I62 the operation iscarried on substantially as indicated in Fig. 1. In such case, presumingthe container 42 is provided with a suitable amount of material 44therein under a suitable pressure and the electric leads for the deviceare connected to a suitable source of power in a suitable manner, aworkman will grasp the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 by the handle I2 andwill present the head I40 to the mortar joint I62 to be operated upon sothat the length of suillcient to stop the operation of the motor 80 andthe head I40 is guided back and forth over that portion of the mortarjoint I82 to which such material has been delivered and until it isassured that the vibratory movements of the head I40 acting on thedischarged material has sufflciently forced such material into thejoints to flll all voids, pores and cracks therein. The apparatus isthen moved along the joint I82 fur- 'ther, the trigger 28 is furtherpulled in order to discharge more material 44 to the joint and is thenreleased to interrupt the flow of the material to the joint and theoperation is repeated. It will, of course, be appreciated that where itis desired to point-up the Joints I82 as well as to waterproof the same,more of the material 44 will be discharged through the head I40 to thesejoints than in a case where waterproofing only and no pointing-up isdesired. It will also be appreciated that because of the relativelyrapid vibratory movementsv of the head I40 and the fact that a workmanmay press it against the surface being treated with a material amount ofpressure, or may cause the head to be manually vibrated toward and fromthe surface being treated, the material 44 discharged from the face ofthe head I40 will be rapidly and efflciently worked into such surface soas to quickly and efficiently fill all voids, pores and/or crackstherein.

In many instances it will be desirable when operating upon a masonrysurface of the character illustrated in Fig. 1 for instance, to cleanout the exposed faces of the Joints I82 before applying the material 44thereto and working it into such surface. In such case by providing theapparatus shown in Fig. l with a head of the'character illustrated inFigs. 6, 7 and 8 instead of the head I40, such apparatus may be employedfor cleaning out such joints.

Referring to Figs. 6, '7 and 8 the head there shown and indicatedgenerally at I10 comprises a boss portion I12 corresponding in allrespects to the boss portion I42 and flange I48 previously describedexcept that in this case the flange portion I14 is provided with aforwardly projecting marginal flange portion I16 forming a relativelyshallow recess in the forward face of the flange portion I14. Withinthis recess is positioned a plurality of triangularly shaped teeth I18.The teeth I18 are arranged with their bases in contact with the bottomof the recess provided'at the forward face of the flange portion I10 andwith their legs projecting perpendicularly thereto at the outer edge ofthe recess and are arranged in alternately oppositely facing directionover the length of the head. The length of the base of each tooth ispreferably of a smaller dimension than the width of the recess in theface of the flange I14, although not necessarily so, and in any case theultimate result is that the head is provided with two rows oflongitudinally aligned transversely spaced and longitudinally staggeredteeth I18. These teeth I18 are preferably secured in place within therecess in the forward face of the flange portion I14 by 'the head I40and the material brasingmaterialorspelterl8l,orinanycther suitablemanner. The teeth I18 may be formed of any suitably hard materialadapted to withstand the abrasive eifects of the mortar Joints I82 orother surface being acted upon but one material which has been found tobe D 'l' uilarly suitable for this use is tungsten carbide.

It will be appreciated that where the appa- 4 ratus illustrated in Fig.1 is provided with a cutting head of the type illustrated in Figs. 8, 7and 8, the source of the material 44 is cut off and in operation themotor 88 is operated and the operator presses the tooth face of the headI18 into the mortar of the Joints and simply works it along over thesurface of the same, the rapid vibratory movement of the head causingthe teeth I18 to cut away the outer surface of the Joints I82 beingacted upon and thus to present a clean, flrm surface to be later actedupon by 44 fed therethrough.

From the above it will be understood that by the use of the apparatusprovided in accordance with the present invention masonry or v othersurfaces may be operated upon in the manner specified and particularlywhen employing a head of the type I40 described is enabled to effect apenetration of the pores, voids, and/or cracks in a masonry surface witha sealing material in a quick, easy and emcient manner.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit or substance of the broadinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In apparatus of the type described, in combinaticn, a support, amotor mounted thereon, a head, means connecting said head and motor soconstructed and arranged as to repeatedly shift the center of mass ofsaid head inopposite directions transversely to the axis of said motorduring operation of said motor, and control means-carried by saidsupport for controlling the energization of said motor.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a support, amotor carried thereby, a head, means connecting said head and motor soconstructed and arranged as to repeatedly shift the center of mass ofsaid head in opposite directions transversely to .the axis of said motorduring operation of said motor, and a trigger controlled switchmechanism carried by said support for controlling the energization ofsaid motor.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supportingmember, a motor carried thereby, an operating head driven by said motor,means for delivering a fluid mixture to said head, a valve forcontrolling the flow of said mixture to said head, a switch forcontrolling the operation of said motor, and control means common tosaid valve and switch mounted on said support for controlling both saidvalve and said switch.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a supportingmember, a motor carried thereby, an operating head driven by said motor,means for delivering a fluid mixture to said head, a valve forcontrolling the flow of said mixture to said head, a switch forcontrolling the operation of said motor, and a single manually operablecontrol element operativeiy connected to both said valve and switchmounted on said support for controlling both said valve and said switch,the connection between said control element and said valve and switchbeing so constructed and arranged to close said switch in advance ofopening said valve during operation of said control means in onedirection.

5. In a deviceof the class described, in combination, a supportingmember, a motor carried thereby, a head driven by said motor andprovided with passages in the working face thereof, means for deliveringa fluid material through said passages, valvular means carried by saidsupport for controlling the flow of said fluid to said passages, and acontrol member carried by said support cooperable with said valve meansto control the position thereof whereby to regulate the fiow of saidfluid.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in com bination, a support, amotor carried thereby, a head carried by said motor, a drivingconnection between said head and said motor so constructed and arrangedas to impart bodily vibratory movement to said head upon operation ofsaid motor, a yieldable core in said head projecting therefrom andproviding an operating face therefor, passages in said core leading tosaid face, means for discharging a fluid material into said passages,valvular means carried by said support for controlling the flow of saidfluid to said passages, switching means carried by said support forcontrolling the operation of said motor, and a control means carried bysaid support common to said valvular means and said switching means. i

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a support, amotor carried thereby, a head carried by said motor, a drivingconnection between said head and said motor so constructed and arrangedas to impart bodily vibratory movement to said head upon operation ofsaid motor, a. yieldable core in said head projecting therefrom andproviding an operating face therefor, passages in said core leading tosaid face, means for discharging a fluid material into said passages,valvular means carried by said support for controlling the flow of saidfluid to said passages, switching means carried by said support forcontrolling the operation of said m0- tor, and a control means carriedby said support operatively connected to both said valvular means andsaid switching means, said control means being so constructed andarranged as to close said switching means in advance of opening saidvalvular means during movement thereof in one direction.

8. In apparatus of the class described, an operating head comprising, incombination, a hollow rigid support open on one side, a body ofyieldable material substantially filling said support and projectingfrom the open side thereof and providing a substantially plane workingface for contact with a surface to be operated upon, said body ofyieldable material having an opening therein opening onto said face, andmeans associated with said support for feeding a fluid through saidopening.

9. In apparatus of the class described, an operating head comprising, incombination, a hollow support open on one side, an impermeable rubberiining for said support, a core of sponge rubber contained within saidliner and projecting beyond the open face of said support, said spongerubber having an opening therein leading to the face of said projectingportion thereof and having a communicating passage interiorly thereof,and means piojecting through said support for conducting a fluid to saidpassage.

10. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, an operatinghead including, in combination, a pan-like support, an impermeablerubber lining for said support, a mass of sponge rubber filling saidlining and projecting beyond the open face of said support to provide anoperating face for said head, said sponge rubber having a plurality ofopenings therein opening upon said face and having a passage interiorlythereof communicating with all of said openings, and

, means projecting through said support and lining and projectingthrough said sponge rubber to said passage for the purpose of conductinga fluid to said passage for discharge from said openings.

11. In apparatus of the type described, an operating head including, incombination, a support, a plurality of triangularly shaped independentlyformed teeth of relatively hard material differing from the material ofsaid support arranged in staggered relation upon the face of saidsupport, and means bonded to said teeth and said support for fixing saidteeth with respect to said support.

12. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, an operatinghead comprising, in combination, a support providing a relativelyelongated base, a plurality of triangularly shaped teeth of relativelyhard material arranged in spaced relation with respect to each otherlongitudinally of said face on opposite sides thereof and in staggeredrelation with respect to each other longitudinally thereof, the base ofthe tri-. angle of each of said teeth being arranged parallel to saidface, the leg of the triangle of each of said teeth being arranged at anouter edge of said face, and means bonded to said teeth and said supportfixing said teeth with respect to said support.

' WARREN G. BROWN. WARREN D. BROWN.

